Improvement in hoop-skirts



PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES O. WEST, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT 1N HooP=sK|RTs- Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. ll l,998, (lated February 2l, 1871A To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMEs O. WEsT, of the city of New York, in thecounty and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Hoop-Skirts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of thereof, which will enable othersskilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hoop-skirts; and it consistsin a noveL con struction of the same, calculated to form by thearrangement of the hoops and an adjustingband a prominent and effectiveadjustable bustle, all as hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved skirt, and Fig. 2 is a rearelevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the prevailing style of dress it is desired to have the skirt to hangas nearly vertical at the front as possible, but swell out prominentlyat the back of the waist and downward therefrom. In order to produce askirt which will maintain the dress in this form without padding or theapplication of attachments other than what properly belong to the skirtas ordinarily constructed, or as nearly so as possible, I propose toarrange the upper hoops, a, which constitute the part of the skirtanswering for the bustle, to extend only from one hip suspending-strap?)to the other around the back, and I attach the broad back-straps e tothe said suspending-strap b, so as to extend across the back and buckleor lace together to draw the straps b back for swelling out the bustleand confining the skirt in front as closely to the person as possible,and preventing it from swelling out thereat beyond the vertical line.This is greatly facilitated by having the hoops a extend only as farforward as the hip suspendingstrap b, whereas `if extending around thefront, as heretofore, they would limit the action of the straps e inthrowing the bustle out.

In order the better to maintain the hoops a in the shape required forthe bustle, and es pecally to prevent them from gathering or beingforced together up against the center of the back, and to some extent atthe hips, especially when the wearer is sitting, I attach the strongmetal braces f to them transversely, as shown, which make a durableframework capable of retaining the required form; but as a furtherprotection against this contingency, and also for the better control ofthe front of the skirt at the lower part against protruding too much,the diagonal hoop g may be connected to or form part of this frame, sothat the said front part may be in a measure suspended from it. Thisconnection, however, may be employed or not, as preferred, without it myimprovements are applicable to skirts not having the said diagonal hoop.

rlhe braces f may be extended over a greater or lesser number of hoopsor ribs a, as found best, provided they are not extended so far downwardas to interfere with the seat when the wearer sits on one, or cause thedress to be lifted up too high at the back;but the said braces may beextended down three or more of the ribs if a joint be made at or aboutthe present termination of the lower ends, or if they be wholly detachedand the extension be made by entirely independent braces, either ofwhich arrangements I propose to make use of for the purpose ofamplifying the bustle.

It will be seen that the bustle and back of the skirt below it may bereadily adjusted to protrude more or less, as required, by theadjustment of the straps e, which bearing against the back of the wearerdraw the straps backward more or less, and also hold them snugly againstthe hips, thereby limiting the spread ofthe skirt sidewise, drawing itin at the front aud forcing it out backward.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- The hoops a, braces f, and the back-straps e,fasteningin front, combined, as described, with the side suspendinghipstrap b b of a hoopskirt, for the purpose specified.

JAS. O. VEST. Vitnesses:

GEO. W. MAEEE,

T. B. MosHER.

